Evaporator unit with frozen food compartments



July 20, 1943. B. c. JOHNSON EVAPORATOR UNIT WITH FROZEN FOOD COMPARTMENTS Filed Dec. 50, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 20, 1943. B. c. JOHNSON EVAPORATOR UNITWITH FROZEN FOOD GOIAPAR'IMEN'IS 30 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

July 20, 1943.

B. c. JOHNSON EVAPORATORUNIT WITH FROZEN FOOD COMPARTMENTS Filed Dec. 30, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 271/527 Ur Harvard 6'.

o/mscm July 20, 1943. B. c. JOHNSON 2,

I EVAPORATOR UNIT WITH FROZEN FOOD GOMPARTMENTS I Filed Dec. 30, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mmfiw w. i imulmlmm m fleknard Jofins on July 20, 1943. B. c. JOHNSON 2,324,931

EVAPORATOR UNIT WITH FROZEN FOOD 'COMPARTMENTS Filed Dec. 30, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 compartment can Patented July .20, 1943 nvarolm'roa UNIT wrrn FROZEN r001) COMPARTMENTS Bernard 0. Johnson, Libertyville, Ill., assignor to Houdaillc-Hershey Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application December 30, 1940, SerialNo. 372,282

8 Claims This invention relates to evaporator units having low temperature food storage compartments in addition to the usual ice tray compartments.

More particularly the invention relates to sheet metal evaporator units-equipped 'with separate plate while the fronts of the compartments can refrigerant conducting top walls and 'with back v walls to define food storage compartments separate from the ice tray compartments.

The demand for more low-temperature or freezing compartments in mechanical refrigere ators has materially increased the production costs of such units. Low-temperature or freezing food storage compartments should preferably be isolated from othercompartments. This has resulted in food storage compartments which are entirely separate from the evaporator unit in mechanical refrigerators but-such constructions are very expensive in that they-require separate cooling coils or refrigerant circulating y ducts. r

I accordance with the present invention,

evaporator units which also define the customary ice .tray compartments. As a .result of this invention, only one refrigerant circulating unit is necessary in each refrigerator and the production costs are thus materially decreased;-

The evaporator units of this invention can have the ice tray compartment and frozen food compartment either in side by side relationship, or in superimposed relationship.

. frozen food compartments are made part of the The units are formed fromv welded-together embossed flat metal sheets providing refrigerant circulating chambers and header chambers therebetween. These sheets are bent into a U-shape so as to form the side walls and bottorn of an enclosed chamber. In one form of the invention a second pair of welded-together embossed metal sheets are bent so as to provide laterally extending horizontal portions at different levels connected through a vertical intermediate portion. The horizontal portion of the thus-bent sheets, which is at the highest level, forms the top wall of a frozen food compartment, the vertical portion forms a partition wall, and the other horizontal portion forms a shelf in the ice tray compartment of the unit. In another form of the invention a separate pair of embossed welded-together flat metal sheets is secured to the tops of the side walls of the unit to bridge the space therebetween and form a refrigerated top wall. A horizontal partition at a lower level between the side walls but above the bottom of the unit isolates the unit into top and bottom'compartmen-ts. The rear end of the f beclosed with separate doors. It is, then, an object of this invention to inexpensively provide an evaporator unit with a separate frozen food compartment in addition to the usual ice tray compartment.

Another object of the invention-i to provide a sheet metal evaporator unitequipped with separate wall members providing additional refrigerated closure walls.

A specific object of'the intention is to provide sheet metal evaporator-unitswith frozen foodcompartments and ice tray compartments in either superimposed relationship or in side by side relationship. I a

Another specific units, 'frozen food co partments in addition to the usual ice tray com rtment. I

,A further specific object of this invention is to rovide bridging wallsfor U-shaped sheet metal evaporator units adapted to isolate a frozen food compartment within the unit.

Other and furtherobjects of the invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheets of drawings which disclose preferred embodiments of the invention. I

' 0n the drawings:

Figure 1. is a front end 'elevational view of an evaporator unit according to this invention hav- 'ing separated ice tray and food compartments in side by side relation.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1.

; Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure'3-A is a fragmentary vertiai crosssectional view taken along the line III-A- be closed with a sheet m tal a III-A of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the unit shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the bridging wallfor the unit shown in Figure l.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation taken' along the linevr-vr of 'Figure 4.

Figure -'7 is aside elevational view of anotherform of evaporator unit according. to this invention.

Figures is Figure 7.

object of this invention is to equip U-shaped sheetnietal evaporator units with e arate cooling walls. for providing, within the e top s. view of the unit shown in Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary front end elevational view of the unit shown in Figures 7 and 8.

Figure 1.0 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X of Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a unit similar to that shown in Figure l, but equipped with only one refrigerated shelf in the ice tray compartment.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures 1, 2, 4, and 6, the reference numeral I designates generally one form of evaporator unit according to this invention. As best shown in Figure 1, the unit I0 includes a pair of embent into U-shape to provide vertical side walls and a horizontal bottom for the unit. The top ends of the sheets ll and l2 are bent inwardly as at l3 to form horizontal flanges for hanging The outer sheet has a plurality of flutes l1 embossed thereon which, as shown in Figures 1- and 6, extend from the lower header chamber in each-side wall around the entire unit. These flutes provide a plurality of refrigerant distributing ducts and are intersected by a flute l8 in the bottom of the unit and embossed'on the outer sheet II. This flute l6 serves as a manifold connecting the ducts provided by theflutes l1 and receives refrigerant as will be hereinafter described for circulating the refrigerant along the bottom and side walls of the unit intothe lower header chambers on each side wall. The spent refrigerant then flows through the passageways l6 into the top header chambers on each side wall.

. Each top header chamber communicates with a flute I3 embossed in the outer sheet H and. extending completely around the unit. This flute l3 communicates with a flute 26 embossed in the inner sheet at the rear end thereof as shown in Figures 1 and- 6. The flute 26 receives an ex.- haust tube, as will be hereinafter described, for removing the spept refrigerant from the unit.

It will be noted from Figure' 1 that the u shaped unit It is quite wide and thus defines the This side walls and bottom of a wide chamber. chamber, in accordance with the present invention, is divided into an ice tray compartment 2| and asfood compartment 22 in side by side relationship by means of a vertical partition plate 23 and the. vertical intermediate portion 24 of a separate refrigerated wall member 23 having a horizontal portion 26 defining a top wall for the compartment 22 and a second horizontal portion 21 at a lower level defining atop shelf in the compartment 2]. L

As best shown in Figure 5, the wall member 25 is composed of a pair of embossed welded together sheets of metal 26 and 23. The top the vertical portion 24 of the member at the front end thereof as at 3| and communicates with a flute 32 (Figure 6) extending horizontally along the wall portion 24 to the rear end thereof. The rear end of the flute 32 communicates with an embossed flute 33 on the sheet 29 and this flute 33 continues from the vertical wall portion 24 of the member under the. portion 21 of the member to provide a duct 34 which, as shown in Figure 4,

extends to the front end of the uni-t, thence bossed welded-together metal sheets II and |215 across this front end and rearwardly to a flute 35 embossed on the upper sheet. The flute 35 communicates with a U-shaped flute 36 embossed on the lower sheet which discharges into a flute 31 on the upper sheet. As a result, refrigerant can flow in a serpentine path through the passageway provided by the flute 30 in the portion 26 of the member, thence through the passageway provided by the flutes 3|, 32 and 33 in the portion 24 of the member and thence through the path provided by the flutes 34, 35, 36 and 31 in the portion 21 of the member. Thus, the wall member 25 provides a refrigerated top wall for the compartment 22, a refrigerated partition wall between the compartments 2| and 22, and a refrigerated top shelf for the compartment 2|. v

The member 25, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, is secured to the unit by means of brackets 33 riveted to the flange I3 in the compartment 22 and to the corners of the portion 26 of the member 25. These brackets 38 will hold the top wall portion 26 in alignment with the flange l3. The partition plate 23 is riveted to the vertical wall portion 24 of the member 25 as at 33 and the partition plate 'can be embossed as at 40 to fit around the embossed flute 33 in the vertical wall portion 24. The bottom of the partition wall 23 has a horizontalflange 23a riveted as at 4! to thebottom of the unit I0. I

The other end of the member 25 has a downturned flange 42 which is riveted to the sidewall of the unit.

The rear end of the compartment 22 is closed by means of a sheet metal plate 43 which can be embossed as at 44 to rigidify the plate. This plate has a rearwardly extending top flange 45 (Figure 3-A) riveted to the top wall portion 26 at the member 25 and to the flange I3 of the unit (Figure 1). The plate also has a rearwardly extending bottom flange 46 riveted to the bottom of the unit as shown in Figure 3 A.-

The top flange 4515 cut away as at 43a adjacent the rear bracket 33 as shown in Figures 1 and 3 so as not to interfere with the rivets for the bracket 36: v

As shown'in Figure 2, the plate 43 can also have rearwardly extending side flangesfl se-' cured to the side wall of the unit and to the partition plate 23. i

As shown in Figures 1 and 6, a shelf to is mounted in the compartment 21 below the porsheet 28 is embossed as at 30, as shown in Figure 4, to provide a serpentine duct extending tion 21 of the member 25. This shelf 56 has J downtumed flanges 5|"rlveted to the partitiom plate 23 and to a side wall of the unit. The shelf 50 is"*composed of embossed welded-together metal sheets 52 and 53. Thus the top sheet 52 can be embossed as at 54 and 55 while the lower sheet 53 is embossed as at." to provide communicating ducts for the circulation of refrigerant across the full area of the shelf.

Refrigerant is introduced into the serpentine duct 33 of the top wall member through a tube 63 which extends through the rear wall 43. The

refrigerant flows through the duct 38 to cool .the top wall member 28 and thence flows through the ducts in the verticalwall portion 24 to cool this wall. The refrigerant next flows through the ducts in the shelf-defining portion 21 of the member 28 and thence through an L-shaped flx- I ture tube 8| secured to the flute 31 and extend-- ing beyond the rear end of the evaporator unit 'as' shown in Figure 6 to a connecting tube 82.

The tube 82 discharges into a second L-shaped fixture tube 88'which, as best shown in Figure 1, communicates with the passageway 58 in the shelf member 58. The refrigerant thus circulates through the shelf 88 and into an L-shaped fixture tube 84 communicating with the flute 55 5 and having a rearwardly extending leg portion receiving a tube 85 which extends around the rear end of the unit and connects with a perforated inlet pipe 88 telescoped in the inlet manifold I8 of the unit and having a plurality of 7 holes 81 therein in alignment with the refrigerant ducts l1, as shown in, Figure 6. The refrigerant is thus distributed to the ducts I1 and flows along the bottom to the side walls of the unit where it can rise into the lower header chamber in each side wall. The spent refriger ant gas can be exhausted through the passageways |8 into the top header chambers and thence out through the exhaust flute |9 into the flute 28 and out through an exhaust tube 88 communi eating with the flute 28. As a result, the refrigerant first flows through the top ,wall of the frozen food compartment 22, thence through the vertical partition wall, next throughthe top shelf of the ice tray compartment 2|, then through the lower shelf of the ice tray compartment and next into the main refrigerant distributing ducts of the unit. Only one inlet 88 and one exhaust outlet 88 need be provided-for the entire assembly.

The front end of the frozen food compartment 28 can be closed with a door hingedon a side 'wall of the unit and, if desired, the ice tray, compartment can be closed with a door or can remain in anopen ended condition.

In the modification shown in Figure 11, the shelf 50 is omitted and the L-shaped tube fixture 8| communicating with the duct 31 in the portion 21 of the member is Joined to a tube 89 communicating directly with the inlet manifold l8. In the modified construction, the wall .por-

' tion 28 can be somewhat deeper since the portion 21' can be closer to the bottom of the unit. As a result the partition plate 23 need not be as high as shown in- Figure 1.

Inthe embodicent shown in Figures 7 ,to 10 the evaporator unit has th frozen food compartment above the ice tray compartment instead of alongside of it as in the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 6 and 11. In Figures 7 to 10,'

the reference humeral 10- designates generally a U-shaped sheet metal evaporator unit cornposed of embossed welded-together outer/and inner sheets 1| and 12. The sheets 1| and 12 are bent into U-shape and form the side walls and bottom of the unit and the top ends of the side .walls are turned in as atg 13 to form hanger The outer sheet 1| has a plurality of spaced parallel flutes 11 embossed thereon extending 'around the unit into communication with thelower header chambers in each side wall. A transverse inlet manifold flute '18 is embossed in the outer sheet at the bottom of the unit and communicateswith the ducts provided b the flutes 11.

'The top header chamber of each pair communicateswitha duct provided by a flute 18- extending around the side walls and bottom of the unit and communicating with a-duct 88 embossed on the inner sheet at the bottom of the unit. The duct 88 receives asingle exhaust tube 8| for removing spent refrigerant from the unit.

In accordance with the present invention a refrigerated top wall member 82 bridges the space between the flanges 18 and'is secured to the flanges by means of four brackets 88 riveted to the corners of the wall and to the flanges. The wall member 82 is composed of welded-together embossed metal plates 84 and 88 with the top plate 88 having a serpentine flute 88 defining a refrigerant passageway over the area of the wall and with the bottom plate receiving L-shaped tube fixtures 81 and 88 in communi-.

cation with the passageway provided by the flute 88; The tube fixture 81 receives refrigeranfand is discharged out of the shelf through a tube flx-' "ture 94 receiving a tube 95 communicating with the inlet manifold 18 of the unit. The refrigerant thus flrst flows through the top wall member 82, thence through the shelf 9| and next into flanges; The outer sheet 1| has semi-cylindrical F embossed portions "near the upper ends of the vertical side walls cooperating with complementary embossed portions 15 on the inner sheet 12 to provide a pair of superimposed header chambers on eachside wall. The inner sheet isfurther embossed as at 18 to provide passage ways connecting the header chambers. I

the inlet manifold 18 for distribution through the circulating ducts 11 around the bottom and side walls of the unit.

A partition wall 98 (Fig. 7) composed of a sin-- gle metal plate bridges the spec between the side walls of the unit and has down urned flanges 91 secured to the sidewalls. The plate 88 is spaced above the shelf 9| and below the top wall 82. A compartment is thus defined in the top portion of the unit enclosed by the upper portions of the unit side walls, by the top wall 82, and by the plate 98. 'This compartment can have the rear end thereof closed by a plate 88 having rearyvardly extending top and bottomflanges 99 and I88 secured to the flanges 18 of 1 the unit and to the plate 98 as shown in Figure'l.

The tube fixtures 81 and 88 extend through I apertures HH and I82 in the rear wall plate 88.

Since the tube fixture 88 is connected with the tube 89, the back wall 98 is cut as shown in Figare m so that flaps I08 can be' folded back to provide a space adapted to clear the tube. After the wall member has been inserted, the flaps I88 can be folded-back to close this space.

The top compartment is thus providedwith a back wall and the front of the compartment can be closed by means of a door hingedlyconnected to the side wall or the unit if desired.

The top compartment will have refrigerated.

top and side walls and is adapted to receive food The shelf 9| is com- .tray compartment and a frozen food com products such as meat, ice cream and the like materials which are to be kept at temperatures lower than those existing in the main body of the refrigerator cabinet. The bottom compartment receives the usual ice trays. It is provided with a refrigerated shelf.

From the above descriptions it will be understood that this invention now provides refrigerator units having frozen food compartments in addition to the usual ice tray compartments by incorporating an additional refrigerated wall into U-shaped sheet metal units. The refrigerated wall structure is also formed from sheet metal and the units can either have the compartments thereof in side by side relationship or in superimposed relationship.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied througha wide range without departing from the :principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not

4. A sheet metal evaporator unit comprising a pair of embossed secured-together metal sheets the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon I otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: Y 1. A sheet metal evaporator unit having an. ic

ment which comprises a pair ofsecured-toget er embossed metal sheets defining refrigerant circulating passageways and header chambers therebetween and forming the side walls and bottom of a storage chamber, a vertical parti-' tion wall secured to said bottom betweenthe side walls and extending upwardly in spaced relation from the side walls to a level below the tops of said side walls, apair of secured-together embossed metal sheets defining a refrigerant passageway therebetween and having a vertical intermediate wall portion secured to said partition wall and extending upwardly therefrom together with horizontal portions extending on opposite sides of: said partition wall forming the top wall for the frozen food compartment and a portion, means securing said vertical portion to said partition wall, and means securing said hor lzontal portions to said side walls toform a top for the frozen food compartment and a shelf in said ice tray compartment.

defining a' refrigerant passageway therebetween and shaped to provide the side walls and bottom of a chamber, a vertical partition wall secured to said bottom between said side walls, a second pair of embossed secured-together metal sheets defining a refrigerant passageway therebetween and'shaped to provide a vertical wall extending above said partition wall and laterally extending horizontal walls on each side of the partition wall, means for securing said horizontal walls to the side walls and means for connecting the passageways of both pairs of sheets.

5. A sheet metal evaporator unit comprising a pair of embossed secured-together metal sheets defining a refrigerant passageway there: between and shaped to provide the side walls and bottom of a chamber, said side wall portions having inturned horizontal flanges at their upper ends, a second pair of embossed secured-together metal sheets defining a refrigerant passageway therebetween extending laterally from one of said flanges to the mid-portion of the unit, thence downwardly toward the bottom of the unit and thence horizontally to the other side wall, a partition wall secured to said bottom and bridging the space between the downwardly extending portion of. said pair of sheets and said bottom whereby saidchamber is divided into a pair of compartments inside by side relation,

and a back wall for one of said compartments.

6. A U-shaped sheet metal evaporator unit having a vertical partition wall dividing the chamber enclosed by the unit into a pair of com- "shelf for the ice tray compartment and means partments in side by, side relation, and a refrigerated top wall-member having an intermediate vertical portion thereof secured to said partition wall together with laterally extending horizontal leg portions forming atop wall for one of said compartments and a shelf in the other of said compartments.

- 7. In a sheet metal evaporator-unit having an ice tray compartment and a frozen food compartment in side'by side relation, the improvement which comprises. a pair of embossed secured-together metalsheets having horizontally offset laterally extending legs secured to the unit,

' the upper offset leg being arranged to provide a 3. A U-shaped sheet metal evaporator unit I having a, vertical partition wall secured to the bottom thereof in spaced relation from the legs of the U to divide the space enclosed by the unit into a pair of compartments in side by side relation, and a unitary horizontal wall member bridging said legs of-the .U having an intermetop wall for the frozen food compartment and the lower offset leg being arranged to provide a shelf for the ice tray compartment.

8. In a U-shaped sheet metal evaporator unit having spaced opposed inturned flat flanges on the tops of the legs thereof the improvement whichcomprises a separate refrigerating top wall for the unit bridging the space between the I flanges and brackets connecting said top wall to said flanges.

- e BERNARD C. JOHNSON. 

